Blind Love
by Artisan of the Written Word
Summary: T.K. and Kari are going out, but T.K. finds out Kari wants something more like Tai and Sora. What will T.K. do to make Kari happy? This is a continuation of the How to Fly series. It could have passed with PG or even G, but I wanted to be safe.
1. Blind Love Chapter 1

HOW TO FLY: PART 5 BLIND LOVE  
  
A/N: Well, here I am again, sooner than expected. (You can thank Angel for that ::smiles and waves to her::) Well, this is a continuation of the How to Fly series (that means if you haven't read them, get yourselves up to date because you *can* and *will* get lost. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!!! ). Okay, believe it or not, this is a Takari, which is what I've been shooting for. This takes place about a month after How to Fly Part 4. It has a little bit of Action, a lot of romance, a lot of drama, and poetry. It's got a little bit of fantasy, too. It sounds kind of like a Taiora too, but it focuses on Kari and T.K. This is a really sad attempt. I had hoped it would have turned out better, but if you write, you know it hardly ever does end up like you wanted it to. Okay, well, I had over half of this written before and it got erased off my disk (ARRRGGHH!!!) Oh, well. I'll make it better this time. :) (Though it will *still* suck in my eyes...) GET READY FOR OVER TWENTY PAGES OF TAKARI!!!! (sad, isn't it? I just couldn't stop writing.)  
  
DEDICATION: This is for you, Logan. Dunno what I'd do without you sometimes.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own digimon, so don't sue me, you vultures. Oh, the poetry is mine. Even though it sucks, you still need to ask me to use it first.  
  
****** Blind Love: A Continuation of the How to Fly Series By Artisan of the Written Word a.k.a. The Writer**PLEASE REVIEW!!!******  
  
"Huh?" Kari said, suddenly perking up at the sound of T.K.'s voice. They were on their way home from school. Sora and Tai traveled not far behind them, walking silently hand in hand. It was October. Being a lot colder than usual, everyone was bundled up in their jackets. T.K. had his thumbs hooked under his backpack straps staring at Kari angrily.  
  
"For the third time, I asked if you'd like to study with me tomorrow for the test Monday," he said, carefully putting space between the words. Kari nodded.  
  
"Sure, T.K., but what time?" she asked. T.K. smiled, knowing she was finally listening to him. She had been so distant lately.   
  
"Um, well, I thought I'd call you if you kept the phone lines clear," he said thoughtfully. Kari nodded again.  
  
"Sounds cool," she said, but immediately sighed very heavily. T.K. looked at her worriedly.  
  
"Kari? Are you okay?" he asked softly. He unhooked his thumbs from his backpack and stopped. She stopped and just stared at him.  
  
"Is it that obvious?" she asked with cautious curiosity. T.K. gently took her hand and placed it on his heart.   
  
"You can tell me, Kari," he whispered. Kari smiled at him and took his hand in hers. T.K. looked deep into her eyes and saw that she was hurt, but by what or whom?  
  
"I.. I was just thinking about what happened that's all. It all seems like yesterday, but all those people making fun of my brother and me just make it really seem longer than a month ago," she said. T.K. nodded. The events that took place a month ago were still fresh in everyone's minds. He looked back at Tai and Sora and saw that they were talking to each other now. Sora had seemed sadder for some reason, but that was expected. Tai looked like he was trying to make her laugh. Now a days, he seemed to be the only one that could make her do so. For all anyone knew, they were still best friends, but such achievements, such as wings, cannot be attained on just regular love. Though the events had happened a month ago, it seemed like it had happened just a minute ago to Sora and Tai.  
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Tai had taken Sora home with him when the crowd had gotten too thick. It wasn't hard to get through because people were afraid to touch them. There were a few, however, that jumped in his way and asked if he was the reincarnation of Jesus Christ or if the Apocalypse was coming. Tai had simply said no. He had Sora in his arms and he wanted to get her in the bed so she could rest as quickly as possible. One person asked if he was an angel. Tai had stopped walking in a straight line and had looked at the person coldly.  
  
"She's the angel, not me," he had whispered. Sora had heard him and smiled. He had carried her to his apartment instead of her own. The last thing he had wanted was for her mother to be around her. He had taken the elevator and had arrived at his front door soon after. Sora was already asleep. It had been a hard day for her and Tai, but she came first. He had walked through the door without much difficulty. He had not retracted his wings, even though he knew how by some primal instinct. Tai's parents had stared at the rather beautiful additions their son had attained. Kari had looked at them in wonder. She had wondered what her brother could have done to gain such things as wings. They had all crept into Tai and Kari's bedroom to find Sora and Tai asleep together on the bottom bunk. Tai had his hands wrapped around her waist and she had a perpetual smile on her face. Tai's parents, being the naive people they were, didn't think of it as anything more than friendship.   
That next morning, Tai and Sora had come into the living room. Tai had found upon waking up that he still had the wings and that he could summon and retract them on a whim. Sora was crouching behind Tai, as if Mr and Mrs. Kamiya were going to do something to her. His mother had just stared at him. She was deeply touched, but also deeply scared.  
  
"I-I-I kn-know that you went through a l-l-lot last night, but I have to tell you that your f-f-f-f-father and I have to keep b-by our wo-ord," she had sputtered. Tai's face went from one of general happiness to one that showed he was hurt. Sora had leaned forward and kissed his shoulder blade out of the sight of Mr and Mrs. Kamiya. Tai had shuddered lightly in sudden ecstasy. Sora smiled at his reaction.  
  
"Show them," she had whispered. Tai nodded and had made a motion for her to step back. There was a sudden sound of an umbrella opening quickly, and there were Tai's wings as they had been the last night. The inside no longer showed the stars, but a perfect dawn. To Tai's mother, father, and sister, it had been more beautiful than any painting. As for Tai and Sora, they had realized that the world they had created was in synch with the time of the real world. This had scared Mrs. Kamiya beyond words.  
  
"Go get ready for school, Tai," she had whispered in a deathly tone. Tai looked at her solemnly.  
  
"But Mom-"  
  
"GO GET READY!!!!!" she had screamed. Tai looked at Sora, who was giving him the "we tried" look. Tai, who just had his school uniform pants on, and Sora, who only had a hospital gown on, had gone back to his room.  
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Then there was the newspaper which had broadcasted all over Odaiba that there were mutants among the society. Tai and Sora were under constant ridicule from peers, both being called freaks. The rumors and harsh words should have been aimed at Tai, but everyone had tried to get at Sora. They apparently knew that she was the weaker one of the two because they had all heard of how sick she had been. Tai had tried to make the rumors go away and tried to get people to make fun of him, not her, but they wouldn't listen. They just didn't understand that they were putting her life at risk. And to Tai's dismay, he had to let her start to take the antidepressants. They weren't really helping, but he knew she needed them or she might try to kill herself again.  
Mimi had come to Japan shortly after the ordeal with Sora's father. They had talked and laughed together, and soon she had to go back. Joe, Matt, and Izzy had been eager to greet her and sad to see her leave. It had been so long since they had seen her. Sora had missed her, too. Tai once had feelings for Mimi, but he had realized a long time ago that she was just a ditz, nothing like Sora.  
They had not told anyone that they planned to get married. That was their secret, but the first people they planned to tell were the digidestined, then their parents, which they weren't sure that it would go over so well. It had been so hard for them, but Tai and Sora had prevailed.  
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T.K. smiled at Kari hopefully.  
  
"Maybe this whole thing will just blow over," he said. Kari laughed shortly.  
  
"Wishful thinking. Hey, where's Tai and Sora?" she asked. T.K. pointed behind him. Tai and Sora had stopped also, but they were looking so intently into each other's eyes that you could almost feel the warmth in the crisp October air. Suddenly, Sora started to cry. Tai wrapped his arms around her as tightly as he could and hugged her close. Her head was buried in his shoulder, but you could still hear her sobs. Looking at Tai, you could see streams of tears trailing down his tan face. He was crying for her. If he couldn't get her to cheer up, he wasn't going to make her feel even more alone. He buried his head in her shoulder, and there they stood holding each other. T.K. and Kari almost felt like they should cry too, but refrained from it. Both of them privately wished that they had a love like Tai and Sora's, but had never said anything about it.  
  
"I wish we were in love like that," Kari whispered under her breath. T.K. looked at her sharply.  
  
"What?" he asked. Kari quickly shook her head.  
  
"Just... talking to myself," she said, trying to make up an excuse, but T.K. didn't believe her. He had heard what she said, and that was going to be forever inscribed in his mind.   
  
"Shhh, Sora.. We'll be okay... shhhh..." Tai was whispering into her auburn hair. He was trying to comfort her like the father she never had. "Shhhh...." Sora's sobs finally began to stop. She took her head off Tai's shoulder, which was now stained with tears. That's when she saw the tears that were on his face.  
  
"Oh, Tai! Don't you start crying, too. This is my fight," she said, wiping his tears away. Tai shook his head and took her hand.   
  
"It's my fight, too," he whispered as he put her hand over his heart. Sora smiled as brightly as she could.  
  
"I don't know what I'd do without you. I love you so much," she whispered. Tai smiled.  
  
"You read my mind," he whispered back and kissed her forehead. T.K. and Kari watched with a sort of admiration for both of the teenagers. Tai finally turned to his little sister. "Well, you two can go on home. We're going to go have pizza, so we'll be a while." Tai had only been grounded for two weeks, so his "jail time" had long been up. T.K. and Kari nodded and waved goodbye to the older kids. Tai and Sora walked off hand in hand, leaving Kari and T.K. standing there.   
  
"Well, I guess I'll see you tomorrow," Kari said with a smile. T.K. awkwardly leaned forward and kissed Kari's cheek. Kari looked at him, smiling quizzically.  
  
"I'll see you tomorrow," he said in a cheerful tone and ran down the sidewalk. Kari put a hand on her cheek, smiled at the warmth that had been ignited within her at his very touch, and walked home.  
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"She wants something stronger," T.K. whispered to himself. She had said that she wished that she and T.K. were in love like Tai and Sora. She meant she wanted something stronger, but could T.K. be any stronger? Like Tai? He loved her, but he couldn't think of any way to show it. T.K. snapped his fingers suddenly. Maybe roses? A poem, too? He knew that wouldn't be enough, but it would be a good start. T.K. looked up and saw that the sky had grown darker. The clouds now threatened the ground below with rain. T.K. sighed.  
"It's this cold and it's going to rain. Great," he said sarcastically. He began to run the rest of the way home, but a sign caught his eye. It was a flower shop sign that had a rose on it. T.K. thought for a second. He felt his pockets, but realized he didn't have any money. He decided to go on home, but knew he'd be back soon.  
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Kari still had her hand glued to her cheek. That kiss, as short as it had been, had meant more to her than she would have ever thought. There had been a sudden warmth ignited in her very soul at his gentle touch. Was that what Sora and Tai felt? Kari shook her head. She knew what they had was deeper. That's what she wanted. Something deep. Something that was beyond the skin. Something that wouldn't be so easily destroyed. She noticed the threatening sky as T.K. had and frowned.  
"Tai and Sora are going to get stuck in the rain. Oh well," she said to herself as she kept walking. She picked up the pace a little so that she could get home before the downpour started.  
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"Wow. Looks like it might rain," Tai said jokingly as he looked out the pizza place's window. Sora looked out to see that it was raining cats and dogs outside.  
  
"And in this cold weather. Man, I'd be surprised if we didn't get pneumonia," she said. Tai hugged her tightly. They were sitting in a booth. They had finished their pizza a while ago.  
  
"Don't worry, I'll keep you warm," Tai said slyly. Sora laughed.  
  
"I wasn't worried about that," she whispered as she kissed Tai's ear. He shuddered yet again in bliss. Sora had a way of always hitting the spot that would affect Tai the most. Tai laughed with her.  
  
"Well, we had better get going. I don't think it's going to let up," he said as he got up. Sora got up after him. Tai went and paid the bill. They went out the door and stood under the awning that covered it. "Okay, which way do you want to go? My house or yours?" he asked. Sora looked at him sadly.  
  
"I need to go home," she said sorrowfully. Tai saw how her crimson eyes seemed to change from the bright lively color that he had always loved to that dull color that seemed to hold no life.  
  
"Come over to my house. It's closer and we'll be able to wait out the rain. Whaddya say? My place?" Sora nodded gratefully for the temporary escape Tai was offering her. Ms. Takenouchi had been rather upset with Sora because of what happened. Business had gone down immensely since the incident with Tai, whom her mother blamed the decrease on. Sora liked to avoid home as much as possible, but realized that her mother needed her all the same.  
  
"Let's go," she said happily. Tai smiled at her, glad that the crimson color of life had returned to her eyes.   
  
"Well, shall we make a run for it or just take it a step at a time?" he asked. Sora rolled her eyes.  
  
"Would you stop stalling and let's get out of here. I hate the cold," she scolded. Tai nodded.  
  
"As you say, your highness. Excuse us commoners for asking your opinion, miss," he said playfully. Sora punched him hard in the arm, making him yelp.  
  
"You're such a wimp. Let's get going," she said as she took his arm in hand and ran as fast as she could in the pouring rain.  
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"MOM! I'M HOME!" T.K. said as he rushed in the door soaking wet. He had just gotten within a hundred feet of his apartment building when the rain had begun to pour. He took off his hat and laid it on a coat hanger. "Mom?" She wasn't home yet. T.K. ran to his room and began to crawl under his bed. He blindly began to reach around until his hand hit something made of glass. He grabbed it and brought it out into the light to where he could look at it. It was a money jar. It had at least $100 in it, which he was very proud of. He took out his books from his backpack and put the jar of money in. It was a small jar, but it was crammed full. He grabbed his hat back off the hanger and almost headed out the door.  
"The poem," he whispered. He had almost forgot. He got a pencil and a piece of paper from the recently discarded book pile from his bag and sat down at his kitchen table. "A poem," he repeated. Suddenly, an idea popped into his head and he hurriedly began to write.  
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"Kari! We're here!" Tai called as he and Sora busted through the front door soaking wet. They had been laughing and playing in the rain despite its icy stabs at their skin. Kari came out of her room with a pencil behind her ear.  
  
"Hey, you two. I was just studying. Man, don't let Mom or Dad see you like that or you'll get grounded another two weeks," she scolded. Tai laughed.  
  
"Oh, get over it, Kari. Well, I guess I need to go change my clothes," he said as he started off toward his bedroom. Sora coughed to remind him she was there. He turned around with a surprised look on his face. "What?"  
  
"Well, you know, I'm the one who spent a day in the hospital, so I think that I need some other clothes, too," she said sullenly. Tai looked thoughtful.  
  
"You want to change into my clothes? Right here? Right now?" he said, seemingly shocked. Sora laughed.  
  
"Well, I don't know of any other alternatives, do you?" Tai shrugged in defeat.   
  
"Fine then. Go fish out what you want to wear out of my drawer. Beware of what you find, though," he warned. Sora laughed again.   
  
"Thanks, Tai," she said. She rushed by him, but paused to give him a kiss, and then went into his bedroom and shut the door. Tai watched her until the door blocked his view. Kari smiled.  
  
"The only time I hear her laugh is when she's around you anymore. You must mean a lot to her," she told her brother. Tai looked at Kari and grinned.  
  
"Let's hope so. T.K. seems to be awful fond of you. I wouldn't be surprised if you two got married someday," he said thoughtfully, the grin disappearing. Kari waved her hands.  
  
"Let's not get too carried away," she said defensively, but the thought still had a nice ring to it.   
  
"Where's Mom and Dad?" Tai asked, looking around the apartment. Kari shrugged.  
  
"I think they're still at work. I hope they make it home alright, since it's raining and all," she said. Tai nodded.  
  
"Me, too. Um, Kari? How are you doing at school?" he asked, unsure if he wanted to hear her answer. Kari looked at him innocently.  
  
"What do you mean?" she asked, knowing all too well what he meant.  
  
"Well, I was just wondering if-" Tai was cut off by a rapid knock at the door. Sora came out of Tai's bedroom in his plaid pajama bottoms and a blue shirt.   
"Who is it, Tai?" she asked. Tai shrugged his soaking wet shoulders.  
  
"I dunno. I'm going to find out, though," he said as he made a leap for the door. He looked through the peep hole and saw a soaking wet Takeru. "It's T.K., Kari," Tai warned. Kari gasped suddenly and looked at Sora in distress. Sora just shrugged. Tai grabbed the door knob, twisted, and pulled.   
  
"T.K.!" Kari yelled when she saw how wet he was. He was shivering from the combined force of the October temperature, cold rain, and sharp, piercing wind. She ran up to him and hugged him, not caring about how wet he was. He stepped inside and Tai closed the door. T.K. had something behind his back, but Kari couldn't tell what it was.  
  
"Man, I thought I told you to go home," Tai said, gazing at T.K.'s soaking wet body, wondering how much longer he could have lasted in the cold.  
  
"I-I-I had to give K-K-Kari this-s-s," he stammered. He held out a big brown teddy bear with a single red rose attached to it's neck with a dark red ribbon. Of course he hadn't spent all his money on this, though he would have gladly done so. He had already gone back home to put away all of the money that had been left over.   
  
"Oh, T.K. You came all this way to give me this? In the rain?" Kari asked, a smile starting to spread across her face. T.K. just smiled through chattering teeth. Her smile seemed to make it all worth it. "You're the best," she said as she ran up to him and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Tai and Sora, who had moved in beside her secret finace`, smiled brightly at the young couple. Kari looked at the teddy bear with such a look of gratitude that it almost made T.K. want to kiss her again. The look on her face was almost that of a young child at Christmas. T.K. made a mental note that he had made a good first step. T.K. dug into his pockets and brought out a mostly dry piece of paper. Kari looked from the teddy bear to T.K.'s hands. "Is that for me?" she asked. T.K. just stretched his arm out to her in an attempt to get her to take it. Kari smiled even more widely. "You're just full of surprises." T.K. smiled. Kari shot T.K. a look that asked if she could be alone to read it, but only Sora saw it. Sora looked at T.K. with sudden sympathy.  
  
"Tai, where are your manners? Look at him!! He is worse than we were!" Sora scolded, trying to get him to take the hint and play along. Tai looked at her, startled.  
  
"Wh-what do you mean, Sora?" he asked, playing the part of Stupid unintentionally. Sora sighed angrily.  
  
"Get him some clothes before he gets sick!" she said, on the verge of screaming. Tai put up his hands in defense.  
  
"Alright, alright! Don't get all upset on me, Sora. Geez. Come on, T.K. Let's get you out of those clothes," Tai said, still not understanding why Sora had jumped onto him all of the sudden. T.K. looked a little hesitant, but Kari nodded for him to go on and he went obediently. Sora made a move for the door, but she stopped when a hand fell on her shoulder.  
  
"Read it with me, Sora. Please?" Kari pleaded. Sora felt a little confused, but reluctantly agreed. She and Kari sat down at the kitchen table and sat close enough together to read it at the same time. Kari felt an overwhelming sense of apprehension while unfolding the piece of paper, but Sora's prescence seemed to make her want to read it. That was the reason Kari had wanted Sora there. To be a sort of motivation. Kari and Sora glanced at each other before they began to read it. When Kari finished, she gently let the note fall to the kitchen table's glistening surface and clutched her new teddy bear tightly. Sora gasped.  
  
"Oh, Kari..." Sora whispered. Tai suddenly came out of his room and saw the two shocked girls.  
  
"What happened to you two?" he asked innocently. Sora gently pushed the piece of paper towards Tai to read. He took in his hands and began to read with much interest, but it soon turned to surprise. It read:  
  
Bleeding Heart  
  
In the night  
I can hear your voice  
But I can't touch you  
And my heart bleeds  
  
In the day  
I sit beside you  
But I can't have you in my arms  
And my heart bleeds  
  
I kiss you   
When we are alone  
But I ache when I can't have something more  
And my heart bleeds  
  
I dream of what  
Life would be like with you  
But it hurts when I realize that it may not come true  
And my heart bleeds  
  
I wish upon a star  
That all of your dreams would come true  
But it kills me to think that they might not  
And my heart bleeds  
  
Every time I don't see a smile  
Upon your beautiful face  
It hurts me so, so much  
And my heart bleeds  
  
I love you so much  
That it hurts inside  
I love you so much  
My heart bleeds  
  
I love you, Kari. Never forget that.   
  
Love,  
T.K.  
  
  
Tai put down the note with a slow motion of his hand. He was still in his wet clothes, and his hands left wet fingerprints on the poem. He slowly turned his gaze from Sora's stunned face to Kari's tear-filled eyes.  
  
"You obviously mean a lot to him, Kari," Tai said softly. Kari met Tai's gaze.  
  
"Maybe you should tell him how you feel," Sora suggested. Kari shook her head. Sora and Tai glanced at each other nervously.  
  
"Why not, sis?" Tai asked, curious to why such a poem hadn't set her in a stage where saying "I love you" to T.K. was the first thing on her mind.  
  
"Because I'm not sure that... that.. I love him like tha- T.K.!" Kari suddenly exclaimed her eyes widening at the sight of Takeru in dry clothes behind Tai. Sora and Tai perked up and saw that T.K. was smiling. Apparently he hadn't been listening to what was just said.  
  
"Did you like the poem, Kari?" T.K. asked breathlessly, praying to God that she did. Kari smiled brightly and jumped up from her position at the table. T.K. looked a little startled when her arms flew around his neck. He hugged her back and inhaled the sweet smell of her hair. "Please say you love me.... please say it, Kari," T.K. thought helplessly and closed his eyes. He didn't want the embrace to end, but what could he do to stop it from ending? Kari let go of him.  
  
"Thank you, T.K.," she whispered. T.K.'s face dropped a little in disappointment, but not enough for it to be noticeable. He smiled weakly at her.   
  
"Yo-your welcome, Ka-kari," he replied, almost choking on his words. Kari tilted her head sideways and looked at him quizzically.  
  
"Are you okay, T.K.? You're stuttering," she said, concerned with his health. T.K. put on a better smile.  
  
"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. I'm still a little... cold," he said, his voice losing it's false contentment on the last word, along with his smile, as if trying to send Kari a hidden message. Sora and Tai understood what was going on and glanced at each other nervously. Kari studied him with a hurt look.  
  
"Oh.... Are we still going to study tomorrow?" she asked, trying to be a little cheerful. T.K. nodded, the smile magically reappearing on his face.  
  
"Of course, Kari! I wouldn't miss it for the world," T.K. said just as cheerfully. Kari smiled back, but knew that something was wrong. He turned and headed for Tai's bedroom and then came back out quickly with wet clothes in hand. "Well, I guess I'll... go home. Bye, Kari," T.K. said, the overwhelming sorrow coming through in his voice. Kari's smile disappeared as he slowly walked toward the door. Kari stretched a hand out for him, but it limply fell back to her side. He was about to go out the door when Kari ran up to him.  
  
"And T.K.?" T.K. turned around quickly just to meet Kari's beautiful gaze. Her brown eyes penetrating his own brilliant blue ones. He practically melted when he stared into her eyes. It was like they showed a reflection of the woman she was to become.  
  
"Yes?" he said, perhaps a little too anxiously. Kari gently stood on her toes and kissed his lips softly. T.K. wanted more, just like he had said in the poem, but knew he couldn't have it... at least not yet. Tai and Sora looked on intently. Tai felt a pang of anger flow through him, but quickly dismissed his brotherly overreaction. The kiss lasted for at least five seconds. Though that wasn't very long in real time, it seemed like forever to T.K., but forever ended too soon. He wished that she would just say those three little words that would mean so much to him.  
  
"That poem meant everything in the world to me," she said, turned around, and walked to her bedroom, shutting the door behind her. T.K.'s heart dropped. He wanted to scream "TELL ME YOU LOVE ME!" to her, but knew that wasn't the way to win her affection. He looked at Sora and Tai with tears in his eyes.   
  
"I'll talk to you later," he said calmly, but he opened the door with a quick jerky movement and slammed it behind him, causing some of the dishes in the kitchen to rearrange themselves in the cupboards. Sora let out a shaky sigh.  
  
"He's hurting, Tai, and we can't do anything about it," Sora said sadly. Tai nodded, but suddenly shivered. Sora saw this and looked at him suspiciously. "You're getting sick! I knew it!" Tai put up his hands in self defense.  
  
"Man! You act like I'm already married to you!" he exclaimed playfully. Sora just smiled.  
  
"You really need to change your clothes," she said a little bit more calmly, but her mind was still on Kari and T.K. Tai looked at her curiously, but almost fainted when the light hit Sora's face just right to where she looked so beautiful. Tai's face showed his sudden fascination as he stared at her.   
  
"You know when the light hits you just right, I could swear that I was dating Britney Spears or something," Tai said playfully, knowing how much Sora hated the pop singer. She sharply took her eyes from the floor and stared Tai down with icy daggers.  
  
"You dare compare her to me?" she said in mock anger. Tai shook his head.  
  
"Of course not, dear," Tai said, but couldn't help the grin that spread across his face. Sora laughed.  
  
"You are really bad, you know it?" she scolded just as playfully. Tai flipped up the collar of his school uniform in a bad James Dean impression.  
  
"Oh, I know," he said in a cool tone. Sora burst out into a crazy fit of giggles, temporarily forgetting Kari and T.K.'s little episode.  
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"She can't even say she loves me... after the poem and the bear and the rose, she can't even say she loves me....." T.K. was whispering to himself. The rain had begun to pour down harder on him, but he didn't seem to take notice. He was mad at himself. He must have done something wrong. Kari wanted to be in love with T.K. just like Tai and Sora. Wanted. That was the key word. She wanted it to be like that, so that meant it wasn't anywhere close. T.K. began to think.  
Did Tai give Sora a rose, a poem, and a teddy bear? The answer was no, but what exactly did he do? T.K. pondered this. Tai had never really explained to them what had happened that night. The only thing he really knew was that Sora had been in the hospital because she had attempted suicide. What had happened after he left? Tai had sprouted wings, that's what happened. But what else did? What happened after T.K. left the hospital and before Tai sprouted wings? He knew that Tai had jumped off the roof of the hospital, but what made him have the wings? What made him jump? What really happened? T.K. decided that he'd have to ask Tai himself to get any answers because he knew Kari knew just as much as he did. T.K. vowed to himself to make Hikari Kamiya love him, or he would kill himself. And he meant it.  
  
  
This story was so long that I had to do it on two different files, so you don't have to review this one unless you feel the urge. Part Two should already be out. Is it good so far? I hope so because it took me forever to write it. It's over 20 pages long, but enough with the chit-chat.  
Alright, now you have to go read Part two. I'm waiting......... 


	2. Blind Love Chapter 2

Here's part two..........  
  
  
Kari hugged her teady bear close to her chest. She heard a few words exchanged between Sora and Tai. The door opened slightly and a girl with a pale face and auburn hair poked her head in.  
  
"Can I come in?" Sora asked. Kari barely made in effort to look at her.  
  
"Yeah, come on in," she replied. Sora came in and gently closed the door behind her, knowing that Tai had his ear pressed to the door. She made her way to Kari's side and sat down.  
  
"Are you alright, Kari?" Sora asked quietly. Kari looked at her having a shocked look on her face.  
  
"What do you mean?" she asked innocently. Sora smiled wryly.  
  
"You know exactly what I mean. Don't play dumb with me," she contradicted. Kari stared into Sora's crimson eyes and smirked.  
  
"Um, well, I guess you caught me. What gave me away?" she asked. Sora snorted laughter. Kari was a little surprised at how light-hearted she seemed, but maybe that was because Tai was there... or maybe she was beginning to heal.  
  
"You're kidding, right? I mean, it's so obvious. You kiss T.K. and even make him weak in the knees, but then turn around and run to your bedroom? And even after that poem, you wouldn't say I love you to him... That's pretty obvious, if you ask me." Kari nodded agreeably.  
  
"Fine, I guess you're right. It's just that I'm not sure that I love him in that way, you know? It's like there's a feeling in my gut, but I'm not sure if-"  
  
"If it's right?" Sora finished for her, knowing the feeling all too well. Kari nodded in amazement.  
  
"How did you know?" she asked. Sora sighed heavily, knowing that Tai was listening closely.  
  
"Well, I went through the same thing with Tai. I've loved your brother since I was five, but I just chose to ignore it. You've known T.K. since you were eight, and I think you're just ignoring it like I did," she explained. Tai smiled at the thought of her loving him so long ago, but quickly pushed away his contentment so he could pay attention to the ongoing conversation.  
  
"I don't know...." Kari said questioningly. Sora thought of how she could put it.  
  
"How do you feel when you're around him?" Kari's eyes wondered around the room, as if searching for the answer. Her face became red when she looked back at Sora.  
  
"Like I.. want... something," she said softly. Sora smiled.  
  
"Ah-hah, but is that it?" Kari shook her head, relieved that Sora hadn't made fun of what she said.  
  
"No. He makes me feel like I'm wanted, like I want to be in his arms so he can tell me everything is alright... oh man, I feel stupid talking like this. I'm sorry, Sora, I-"  
  
"No, it's alright. You need someone to talk to, and I'm here. When I was so confused with Tai, I didn't have anyone to turn to. No offense, but Tai already had you," Sora consoled. Kari nodded and took a deep breath.  
  
"Well, you know how hard it's been for all of us, and when I'm with T.K., I feel like it's all gone, like being with him makes my life happy again, you know? It's like he.... clears my life of all the hardships and stuff," she tried to explain, having a frustrated smile. Sora nodded, that wry smile reappearing on her pale face.  
  
"Do you love him?" Kari looked like she was about to answer, but she just froze.   
  
"I don't know!" she wailed suddenly. Sora looked at her sympathetically.  
  
"Then why do you need him so much?" Kari gazed into Sora's questioning eyes, and found no answer. Sora stood up and walked toward the door, watching Kari carefully. Kari's eyes hadn't moved from the spot Sora had been in. It seemed Kari saw the answer written in the air. "Maybe you should think about that." Sora opened the door for the dramatic effect, but was suddenly surprised by Tai, who had been leaning on the door. He crashed to the ground, making both Kari and Sora giggle wildly despite the seriousness of the  
previous conversation.  
  
"Hello," Tai said meekly, his face turning hot from the sudden rush of blood. This made both Sora and Kari burst into fits of laughter. Soon Tai joined in, and they all temporarily forgot about the day's troubles.  
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THE NEXT DAY  
  
  
Kari looked at the clock in her kitchen. It read 12:30. She sighed heavily. She hoped that T.K. would call soon. All that morning she had the sudden craving to hear his voice. Kari smiled, knowing what Sora had said to her was getting to her. Tai was lazily flipping channels in the living room, but he was doing it absently. He was thinking about Sora. Was she alright? Did she sleep well? Did her mother treat her okay? Was Sora thinking about him in the same way? His mind reeled for answers, but all it found was a headache. Kari sat on a stool in the kitchen, watching the phone with hopeful eyes.   
"Please call, T.K.," she whispered to herself. She had a feeling he wasn't going to call, but she didn't ever let on.   
The Saturday sun had warmed up the day considerably from what it had been just the night before. The cold rain had become a distant memory which was almost erased by the sun's rays on the earth below, but Kari felt no difference. Without T.K., it was just another day.  
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T.K. was by himself most of that day. He was sulking from what had happened. He had tried to call Matt, but found that he was practicing with his band. He had tried to call Izzy, Joe, and even Davis, but found that they were all out doing something or another. Cody or Yolei couldn't have possibly yielded the answers he wanted. There was Sora, but could he talk to her? It was possible, but there was only one person T.K. really needed to  
call.  
Kari.  
The one person that had been on his mind the most. Everytime he thought of her, a smile would cross his face. Her brown hair, though it was simple in appearance, drove T.K. wild. Her beautiful smile was enough to stop traffic. She was enough to stop traffic in his eyes. If this was true, why was he so hesitant to call her. T.K. had randomly thought of excuses. She might break up with him, or tell him that she doesn't love him, but Davis. Though as far fetched as it seemed, T.K. had wanted something to believe so bad that he had made it true in his mind. He was extremely confused. Maybe he could talk to Sora. After much diliberation, T.K. had decided Tai was not an option anymore since he had close ties to the person in question. Sora did too, but T.K. had always trusted her. She was the best candidate for telling a secret to at the moment. T.K. grabbed his hat and made a bee-line for Sora's house.  
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"WOULD YOU FIND A CHANNEL AND STICK WITH IT!?!" Kari yelled at her beloved yet very annoying brother. Tai temporarily stopped and looked at Kari with a shocked look on his face.   
  
"What's your problem?" he asked. Kari just shook her head, deciding not to listen to him. Instead, she looked past him to the TV channel that he had landed on. It just happened to be the weather channel. There was a woman on there that looked like she had a fake smile plastered to her face and just a little bit too much caffeine in her system.  
  
"As you can see at home, there is a mass of clouds heading our way. This one's a big one, folks. It should start today around 4:00 in Odaiba and the areas around it. Better plan to stay inside the house tonight," the weatherwoman forcasted, actually beginning to sound more like a sportscaster toward the end. Kari rolled her eyes at the hyper weatherwoman and began to watch the phone again.   
  
"Please call, T.K. Please call," she was whispering. Suddenly, it rang. She almost fell off of her stool from the seemingly sudden answer to her requests. She regained her composure and grabbed the phone. "Hello?" she said with a smile plastered to her face, much like the weatherwoman that she had just seen. The smile melted off her face when she heard who was on the other side. "Oh. Hi, Cody.... No, I'm fine. It's been a long time since I've heard your voice. A month? Really?" Kari said, trying to keep with the conversation, but her mind was slipping out of it.  
  
"Well, is everything alright?" the young boy asked, his voice showing he was asking more for concern than curiosity. Kari nodded as if he could see her.  
  
"I'll be okay," she said, her own voice showing her uncertainty. Cody's eyes narrowed.  
  
"Well, I just wondered because of all that's gone on... I guess I just wanted to hear it from you personally. Well, I'll talk to you later, then?" Kari nodded, eager to get him off the phone.   
  
"I guess. Bye," she hung up the phone quickly. She didn't have anything against Cody, but she had privately wished that it had been longer than a month since she had talked to him. He was very kind to call her, but she wished he could have called some other day. Just any other day.  
Tai lost his interest in the weather report, but had found that flipping the TV channels seemed like something to pass the time. He started again. Kari rolled her eyes at her brother, but then went back to watching the phone.  
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Sora, almost exactly like Tai, had been flipping channels. However, she had stopped to watch the occasional soap opera or talk show. She was very tired; she and her mother had a fight the night before. It had all started when Sora walked in with Tai's clothes on, which could have given any mother a headache. It had gone on and on. There were tears shed, but it had ended at a stalemate. Though it had, the tension had been eased. Sora's mother had graciously allowed Sora to stay home alone as long as no boys were over, especially Taichi Kamiya.   
There was a knock at her door. Sora sat up almost immediately. Who would be over at her house today? She didn't remember anybody saying they might drop by. She got up and opened the door. T.K. rushed passed her and began to pace. Sora looked at him suspiciously.   
  
"What's wrong, T.K.? T.K.?" she asked, trying to get his attention. His face was twisted into something that was worried and confused. "T.K.? Stop it, T.K.!" she tried, but T.K. still wouldn't listen to her. "TAKERU TAKAISHI!!!" she yelled. T.K. finally stopped. "Finally. I didn't know what I was going to do with you. Now, come over here and sit down." Sora was about to lead him to the couch, but was taken back when he hugged her. She felt his tears soaking through her gray ODAIBA shirt. She hugged him back. She patted his back softly. "Shhh, T.K. It's okay. Come on, now. What if Kari saw you like this?" T.K. immediately straightened up and wiped at his puffy, red eyes. "That's better. Come over here and sit down." He did so obediently. Sora sat beside him. "Now, what's wrong, T.K.?" she asked, her eyes pleading him to tell her. T.K. forced himself to look into her crimson eyes with his own sapphires.   
  
"Well, actually, there's something you need to tell me," he said quietly. Sora looked at questioningly.  
  
"What do you mean?" she asked, hoping it was something different that what she was thinking.  
  
"What happened that night at the hospital?" he asked. Sora tilted her head slightly.  
  
"Excuse me?" she asked, not trying to be snobbish but just curious.  
  
"What happened after I left? How did Tai get his wings? What really happened, Sora?" he asked, not missing a beat. Sora looked startled, but then began shaking her head furiously.   
  
"No. I can't do that," she said. T.K.'s heart dropped.  
  
"Please, Sora! I need to know!" he cried, his eyes suggesting tears were soon to follow.   
  
"No, T.K. I can't," she whispered. She got up from the couch and turned her back to him. She knew exactly what T.K. was asking her, but she didn't know if she could tell him the whole story all over again.   
  
"PLEASE!" She turned to look at him. His eyes were beginning to well up with tears. He was reaching out to her. He was hurt, confused, and helpless. She couldn't just leave him like that.  
  
"Fine." Sora sat back down and took a deep breath. "You want the whole story or the Readers' Digest version?" T.K. shrugged.  
  
"I need as much as you can tell me," he said softly. Sora took another deep breath and began to tell him everything from the very, very beginning.  
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She had even told him about her father. A touchy subject for her, but she had made it. How he used to send her and her mother cards with a phone number on them, telling them that he would be home soon. Sora knew it wasn't true, but Ms. Takenouchi had to have something to believe. Sora always thought her mother knew what Mr. Takenouchi used to do to her, but always chose not to believe it. T.K. had felt a sudden rage inside him when she told him about the abuse. How could anyone abuse Sora? Someone who had so much love in her? Who would want to destroy that? Through a little difficulty, Sora had managed to tell him about the sexual abuse, too. T.K. had watched her carefully. At the first sign of a breakdown, he would stop pressing her, but until that point, he needed everything he could get. She finally got to the part after T.K. had been in the hospital. It was distorted account since Sora had been drifting in and out of conciousness or sleep in the hospital, but T.K. knew that nothing really major had happened while she was asleep. Then, she got to the part about jumping. Jumping from the roof of the hospital. T.K.'s heart sank. Was that what he had to do? He to think about it by himself.  
  
"...Tai still has his wings, T.K. I'm sure he'll show you if you just ask him. I think they could answer more questions than I could," she finally told him. T.K. nodded. "Did I tell you what you wanted to know?" T.K. nodded again, breaking his gaze from her face.   
  
"Yes, you did."  
  
"What are you going to do now?" she asked out of curiosity. It was only natural since he asked out of the clear blue to tell him something so personal. He paused and then met her questioning eyes with his again. That look of hers wasn't easy to avoid, so he had to think of something quick.  
  
"Something I really didn't want to," he replied softly. Sora thought this was rather strange, but decided not to push the matter past its worth. She got up and looked down at him. He got up after her, and in turn looked down at her. Sora laughed. T.K. was a little surprised at her lighthearted matter after what she had just told him.   
  
"I can't look down on you anymore," she said, sizing him up with her eyes. T.K. laughed.  
  
"Nope. I've grown a little," he said. "Well, I need to go home." He walked to the door with Sora following him. He opened the door and saw a light mist of rain falling. Sora groaned.  
  
"I thought that it might have stopped after last night." T.K. started out, but was jerked back by powerful hand. It was Sora. T.K. had no idea that she that kind of strength. He turned to look at her, but was met with a umbrella in his gut. "Here. You don't need to get sick," she said. T.K. nodded. He walked out under the awning and pulled open the umbrella. He was going to go again, but he looked back at Sora, who was watching him from the doorway. She was smiling, an all too rare thing to see for her anymore. T.K. couldn't help but smile back. Just her smile seemed to brighten the day. He felt a sudden urge to do something totally unexpected. He dashed back to the doorway, leaned forward, and awkwardly kissed Sora on the lips. She jolted backward in surprise.  
  
"Thanks, Sora. You're the best," he said softly. He could see why Tai was so in love with her. With that, he sprinted down the sidewalk at full speed. Sora watched him, smiling and waving. She privately wondered how much stranger the situation could get.  
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"Please call, T.K. Please call," Kari was whispering to the phone. Tai got up from his seemingly eternal position on the couch. He snickered when he saw her talking.   
  
"If you're waiting for the phone to talk back to you, you'll be waiting a while," he joked, not realizing at the moment how corny the statement was. Kari glared at him.  
  
"Har-de-har-har-har. You're such a dork, Tai," she scolded. Tai's face instantly became solemn.  
  
"That's MR. Dork to you, kid." Kari giggled at his remark, but her eyes instantly fell back to the phone. "If you want to talk to him so bad, why don't you just call?" Tai asked. Kari looked at him blankly.  
  
"Huh?" Tai rolled his eyes.  
  
"What? Is it a new concept or something? You know, aim right down the center? C-A-L-L, minus the 1-800 and the A-T-T, of course. Man, that ATT man cracks me up every-"  
  
"I got the point, Tai," Kari said, trying to cut him off before he could get any more obnoxious. Tai smirked. That had been his purpose the whole time.   
  
"Then why don't you?" he asked. Kari shrugged helplessly. Tai continued his voyage to raid the refrigerator. Besides the sound of the seventeen year old boy rummaging through the leftovers, the Kamiya apartment was silent. To Kari, it was deafening. Without T.K., it seemed like it would kill her. It was almost too much. The clock on the kitchen wall read 6:30. She almost decided to give up, but something else inside of her told her that she shouldn't give up on the person she loves. Kari smiled at the thought and continued to wait.  
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T.K. watched the rain pour down outside his window, his mind wandering. He had the TV turned on, but he wasn't watching. It was turned to, of all things, the weather channel. That same hyper, caffenated, perky, and just down right creepy weather woman was on, terrorizing the citizens of Odaiba with her fake smile and cheerful attitude. She seemed more cheerful than earlier, and anyone who was watching wondered how that could be.  
  
"Okay, citizens. I'm sorry to announce a change of plans in the weather, but it's not all bad. The rain will slacken in the Odaiba area by about 6:30 tonight. If you look outside your windows, you will see that it has slackened a whole bunch from what it used to be! The temperatures tonight will be-" T.K. stopped listening. The quirky woman was giving him a headache. He felt his stomach growl ferociously. He realized he hadn't eaten all day. He began to walk to the kitchen, but hit his foot on something, almost causing him to fall to the ground. He looked at the floor and saw his books that he had discarded earlier. He bent down to pick them up, but as soon as he touched the top book, his heart sank.  
Kari!  
They were supposed to study! How could he forget? She had been the only thing on the boy's mind all day, and he still forgot. He rushed to the kitchen to find the phone in its proper place. He frantically began to press Kari's number in and hoped it wasn't too late.   
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Kari jumped at the sound of her telephone ringing. It was the second time that whole day that it had rang. She picked it up anxiously.  
  
"T.K.??" she asked, praying it was. T.K. smiled lightly.  
  
"Hey Kari! Do you still want to study?" he asked. Kari knit her brow.  
  
"Well, sure, but what took you so long? I have been waiting by the phone forever!" she said, casting a hint of anger into her voice.   
  
"Actually, it was about seven hours, but it seemed like forever," Tai corrected from his position on the couch. Kari put up a hand to silence him.  
  
"Well, I went over to Sora's and-"   
  
"Sora's? What for?" Kari asked, the anger building inside of her chest. He had been over to Sora's? But he was supposed to be with Kari, not her.  
  
"I needed to talk to her about something... I'm sorry, Kari, it's just that I had a lot on my mind.... Forgive me?" T.K. asked, not sure whether Kari would or not. Besides, he had gone over to Sora's house, who was Tai's girlfriend, over his own girlfriend.   
  
"I forgive you, T.K. Don't worry about it. I'll come over now if you want," Kari said, just glad that T.K. was alright. T.K. smiled.  
  
"No problem. Come on over. I'll see you in a bit?"   
  
"Yep. I'll be right there." With that, both T.K. and Kari hung up at the same time. Kari ran to her room, grabbed her books, and made a straight line for the door.   
  
"Don't stay out past your curfew!!!" Tai called after her, but she had already gone out the door. He smiled. This was his chance to invite Sora over. He had longed to see her all day. He had missed her terribly; his heart ached just for not seeing her so far that day, but he had no intention of going the whole day without her in his arms. He made a mad dash for the phone and dialed Sora's number.  
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T.K. stared at the phone in his hand.  
This was the time to activate the plan.  
He had promised himself to make Kari fall in love with him. Though what he planned wasn't the best way to do it, it would have to do. T.K. sat down in a chair and waited for his love to knock on his door.  
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What is T.K.'s plan to make Kari fall in love with him? It's a doozy, let me tell you. I'm so sorry, you guys. My stupid computer won't let me write anymore on this part. I'll put another file out, but I'm doing everyone a favor by putting them all out at the same time so there's no really bad cliffhangers, okay? Alrighty then. Go ahead and go read Part Three!!!!! It *should* be the conclusion if my word processor will let me write all of it. You don't have to review this one, it's all supposed to be one big story. It's a long one, though.  



	3. Blind Love Chapter 3

Here's Part Three. This *should* be it, but I don't know.... Just read and we'll find out....  
  
  
  
  
Kari rang T.K.'s doorbell and waited. She heard the sound of hustling on the other side of the door, the sound of something being knocked over onto the ground, and a curse soon followed. Kari giggled at the thought of T.K. being so reckless, but she had no idea how reckless he could be.  
T.K. opened the door with a smile on his face. Kari smiled back in an instant. That was what she had been wanting to see all day, and finally she could. T.K. was thinking the same thing. She was beautiful, as usual. She looked a bit damp from the mist of rain outside, but she didn't seem to take any notice. He did love her. He knew he did. He felt a sudden pang of sorrow hit his heart when he remembered that Kari didn't feel the same way, or so he thought.  
"Hey! It's good to see you!" T.K. said gleefully, but was inwardly kicking himself for saying something so stupid. Kari nodded her appreciation.  
  
"Same here... I mean, good to see you, that is. Um, can I come in?" she asked. T.K. nodded furiously and stepped out of the doorway to allow her to come in. Kari looked at him quizzically. He was acting strangely. She instantly saw the lamp he had knocked over. "I see you were in a hurry to see me," Kari said. T.K. shrugged helplessly.  
  
"What can I say? Who wouldn't want to see you?" Kari beamed at his compliment. She put her books down on his kitchen table, put her jacket around the back of one of the chairs, and began to look around her. As far back as she could remember, she had never been in T.K.'s apartment. It was very clean. It was like they had a maid to do it all for them. Kari's face showed her surprise.  
  
"Wow, T.K. My apartment is really messy compared to this. I always thought of you as someone who didn't watch their stuff," she said, continuing to walk around the living room with T.K. on her heels. He sighed heavily.  
  
"Everyone seems to think that," he said with a hint of sadness. Kari glanced at him nervously. What was wrong with him? She didn't know, but she did know that he probably wouldn't tell her.   
  
"Why were you really over at Sora's today?" Kari said suddenly, turning around to meet T.K.'s startled, hurt eyes.  
  
"Why do you ask?" he countered. Kari's mind reeled for an answer. She couldn't tell him that it was because she didn't trust him, because that wasn't true. Why couldn't she just leave the subject alone? Because it was bothering her. She felt that something had happened at Sora's, and maybe she needed to know for her own good.  
  
"I... I just wanted to know, that's all," she said quickly. T.K.'s eyes narrowed, seemingly trying to condemn Kari for even thinking that he might do something to hurt her.  
  
"Really? Is that it? You don't trust me," he snapped. Kari took a step back from him. Something in his eyes showed that he was unstable. His secret plan to make Kari fall in love with him was something that seconded the notion that he just might be.  
  
"That's not what I meant, T.K.! Don't twist my words. I'm just worried, that's all," she shot back. T.K. shrank away from her. His heart dropped. Had he really just snapped at her? Yes, he had. 'WHY?' his mind screamed, but T.K. didn't know. 'Something's wrong with me,' he thought, but he pushed it aside for a later time. He turned his attention back to Kari, whose eyes showed that she was hurt, but not deeply. The damage he had done was not permanent, or so he hoped.  
  
"I'm.. I'm sorry, Kari. I'm just a little... stressed, I guess," he apologized. Kari's eyes narrowed suddenly, studying his face. There was more to it than that, and she knew it. He was lying. It wasn't just stress.  
  
"It's okay, just as long as you aren't keeping something from me... You aren't, are you?" she asked, not sure if he would snap at her again. T.K. suddenly reached out and took her hand gently. He kissed it and put it against his chest.  
  
"Never," he whispered with a smile. Kari smiled back, but something told her he wasn't telling her the truth. He let her hand drop back to her side. "Let's stop fighting and start studying, okay? I hate to fight with you," T.K. said, stepping closer to Kari. She smiled at him, trying to forget what had just happened.   
  
"Let's get started," she said, and they both made their way to the table to study.  
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"Hey, Sora!!!" Tai said, trying unsuccessfully to keep from yelling into the phone. He was so glad to hear her voice. Sora winced at his volume.  
  
"Hey, Tai. I missed you today," she whispered, as if someone would hear them. Tai nodded longingly.  
  
"You have no idea. My heart is aching without you," he said sadly, knowing that it was true, but was surprised when Sora laughed. He narrowed his eyes. "What's so funny about the truth?" Sora quickly became sober.  
  
"It's just that I never thought of you as someone who would be so poetic, that's all. But if it makes you feel better, I know how you felt today because I felt the same way, and I still do," she whispered soothingly. Tai's sudden anger melted at the sound of her apology.  
  
"Well, could you come over? I could die without you... and I will," he added suddenly. Sora froze. Something inside of her told her that he just might be telling the truth. What had her mother said? No boys over? T.K. had already assisted in the breaking of that rule. She hadn't said anything about Sora going over to a boy's house. No matter. If Tai had been telling the truth, there wasn't any law that could keep her from getting to him.  
  
"You won't die, Taichi. I'm coming for you," she consoled. Tai smiled. The idea of her being with him was enough to bring a smile to his face.  
  
"Please hurry," he said, paused to think, and then continued. "My heartbeat lessens at the passing of every second without you, Sora." He was pleased with his sudden poetic ability. Before he had told Sora his feelings, Tai had been one of the not-so-smart students of Odaiba High. Now, he could create beautiful verses off the top of his head, but he only did it for Sora.   
  
"As does mine," Sora agreed. "I love you, Tai. I'll be right over." Tai smiled again at the thought of her loving him. It was enough to make him feel complete.  
  
"And I love you, Sora... Kamiya," he added quickly, his smile getting wider. Sora giggled.  
  
"Alright, alright. Save some for later, Romeo. I'm coming," she said with a hint of amusement. They both hung up the phone at the same time. Tai paced the floor anxiously, waiting for Sora. His face was contorted into one of deep emotional pain. Everyone has heard of the kind of pain from being separated from someone, but they have never heard of it being this severe. When Tai had said that he would die without her, he wasn't far from the truth.  
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Sora rushed around her house. She grabbed her jacket and a pair of sneakers. She was still in her plaid pajama bottoms and a white shirt, what she had worn to bed the night before, but she didn't feel the need to change. Tai needed her. Even though she was a fashion reck, she decided that it was good enough for the moment. She got Tai's clothes from the night before and rushed out the door. She felt the cool air hit her immediately, making her shiver. She was thankful that there was no rain. It had stopped not long before, but it was still a relief. Sora started run. She pushed herself harder, and soon she was almost running on air.   
Sora began to think of Tai's masculine body, and she began to slow down. To her, such a daydream shouldn't be rushed, so she walked the rest of the way there.  
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"Well, I think I've memorized this test already. I've only been here for about fifteen minutes, too," Kari said, her eyes running across the room to find a clock. She found the one above the VCR and saw the time. It was 7:00. "Maybe I should get going, T.K. It's already seven, and I don't want my parents to be mad at me," she said. T.K. looked at Kari in a way that almost made her shudder.  
  
"Why leave? I want to show you something," he said ever so softly, glancing from Kari's face to the window. It was dusk, meaning it was going to be colder outside than it had been all day. Kari focused on T.K. suspiciously.  
  
"Really? What is it?" she asked out of cautious curiosity. T.K. shrugged, making his eyes wander around the room.  
  
"Well, if you're leaving, how can I show you? Oh well, I guess it'll have to wait," he taunted. Kari glared at him.  
  
"Fine, I won't leave. Come on, T.K. Show me, please!" she pleaded. T.K. smiled, giving in to her heart-melting pleas.   
  
"Well, I guess. Come on, it's this way," he said, grabbing her hand and heading for the door. Kari made a swipe for her jacket and barely took into her hands.  
  
"Don't drag me, T.K.!" she chided, but he wasn't listening. Thoughts were running through his head at 100 miles per hour. He never let go of her hand.  
************************************  
"Is this what you wanted to show me, T.K.?" Kari asked. He had led her to the roof of the apartment complex. The colors of dusk were slowly fading into black, but there were a few hues mixed in with the clouds that had rained on them earlier that day. Blue and yellow swirls clashed together with a splash of red to form one of the most beautiful paintings on the sky. It was very beautiful. T.K. gazed at Kari and nodded.  
  
"This is exactly it," he said softly. Kari had already put her jacket on when she had realized where T.K. had been dragging her to. She did not return his gaze, but looked out onto the sunset, which was fading faster and faster.  
  
"It's beautiful, T.K.," she whispered. A sudden wind blew, causing Kari's hair to blow back from her face in a tornado. She closed her eyes and spread out her arms, letting her head fall back as she did so. T.K. watched her closely.   
  
"You're beautiful," he whispered back. Kari's head snapped back to attention, her eyes opening. She looked at T.K. and smiled.  
  
"Well, you're not half bad yourself," she joked. T.K. smirked, but it was saddened. Kari's smile disappeared. "What's wrong, T.K.? Is it something I said?" she asked. T.K. sighed. 'Yes, it is, Kari. You can't even love me,' he thought, but he knew he couldn't say it aloud. It would hurt her too greatly.  
  
"That's not it at all. I've had a lot of things on my mind," he said slowly. Kari turned her whole body toward him.  
  
"Is it Sora?" T.K.'s eyes widened in surprise.  
  
"No, of course not! I love you, not her!!!" he exclaimed, but clamped a hand over his mouth. He wasn't supposed to say that yet! Now he was going to have to improvise the rest of the plan. Kari bowed her head sheepishly.  
  
"I'm sorry, T.K. I should trust you.... I'm sorry," she whispered. T.K. took a deep breath and walked up to her. He raised her chin up and kissed her forehead lightly.  
  
"Don't be, it's alright," he whispered back. He shivered lightly. Kari looked at him, her head tilted slightly.   
  
"You should have brought a coat," she said, running her hand over his chest, feeling the goosebumps. T.K. shivered again, but this time it wasn't from the cold, and Kari knew it.  
  
"I know," he said, meaning it to be stern, but it came out a lot weaker than expected. Kari smiled at the effect her touch was having on him. T.K. let her hand explore his chest and sides. She started to explore his lower stomach, but he stopped her. "I have something to ask you, Kari," he said slowly. Kari took her hand away from him and nodded, hoping this had been what he had been acting so strangely about. He walked toward the edge of the roof. There was a bricks stacked up to T.K.'s waist. He walked up and leaned against them. Kari looked at him strangely, but followed him anyway.   
  
"What is it, T.K.?" she asked. T.K. looked at Kari's face and smiled.  
  
"I don't know how to start," he said. He had rehearsed this in his mind many times that day, but it was different now that he was really doing it. He would have to improvise. He glanced at Kari again and then looked out to the horizon, which was now black. He sighed. This was it.  
****************************************************************************************  
Tai jumped at the sound of a knock on his door. It had to be Sora. It just had to be. He ran to the door and opened it. He felt a sudden sense of relief wash over him when he saw Sora's face. She was smiling brightly, something that she didn't do so often anymore. He couldn't help but hug her. He took in a deep breath of her hair, as if he couldn't believe she was real. Sora closed her eyes. A sense of security filled her body. She felt safe now, in Tai's grasp. He had saved her before, and it seemed that Tai was going to be her savior yet again. Sora finally broke away from him, relieved to find that the sense of security didn't break away, too. Tai brushed a strand of her auburn hair away from her eyes.  
"I missed you so much," he said softly. His hand cupped her cheek. Sora reached up and held it there.   
  
"Same here," she said, just as softly. She finally let his hand drop away from her and walked inside the door. There was an unsettling silence in the apartment. Sora thought this very, very strange. "Um, Tai? Where's Kari?" Tai seemed to be thinking, but his face lightened when he remembered.  
  
"She's over at T.K.'s studying," he replied calmly. Sora stopped taking off her jacket and whirled around to look at Tai.  
  
"T.K.'s?" Tai looked at her suspiciously.  
  
"Yeah, what's wrong with that?" he asked. Sora shook her head.  
  
"Nothing," she whispered. Something was wrong here, but what was it? Sora couldn't make the connection. Tai shrugged.  
  
"Whatever. If something is bothering you, you know you can tell me," he said sternly. Sora nodded absently.  
  
"Yes, I know," she said obediently, but she was actually lost in her own thought. Her gaze fell to the floor. Something was dead wrong here, but what was it. Tai nodded, as if accepting her answer. He quickly became himself again, however.  
  
"You know, T.K. almost lost himself a girlfriend today. Kari sat by the phone for over five hours waiting for that kid to call. Funny, huh?" he said, amused with how gifted his sister was for sitting beside the phone. Sora looked up at Tai sharply.  
  
"Excuse me?" she said, not believing what she had just heard. Tai laughed.  
  
"I know. Isn't it crazy?" he said, not catching the concern and urgency in Sora's voice. Suddenly, it was all coming together. Sora's eyes began to dart from side to side in panic.  
  
"Oh my God, Tai. Kari's in a lot of trouble," she said, the panic in her voice rising. Tai's smile disappeared.  
  
"What about Kari?" he asked, now sensing her urgency. Sora closed her eys and put her hands on her head.  
  
"T.K. came over to my house this afternoon. That's why he didn't call Kari earlier," she said. Tai shrugged.  
  
"So what?" Sora stared at him in disbelief.  
  
"Tai, he asked me what happened at the hospital a month ago. What really happened. As in everything. He was especially interested in the fall," she said, trying to explain to Tai. He shrugged, still not making the connection.  
  
"So...."  
  
"So he's going to jump off the roof with your sister, that's what!!!!" Sora screamed at him. Tai finally made the connection and gasped.   
  
"Oh no! Come on, Sora! Let's get going!" he said. Sora didn't even have to agree with him. She followed him out the door without hesitation. Sora remembered what T.K. had said when she had asked him what he was going to do. 'Something I don't want to.' This scared Sora beyond words. Tai and Sora picked up the pace by a lot and ran as fast as they could to T.K.'s, which was at least five minutes away. They could only hope they could get there in time.  
****************************************************************************************   
"Come on, T.K. What is it?" Kari asked. T.K. sighed. He stared at the sky. It was now completely black except for the full moon and stars that peeped through the threatening clouds. It was a beautiful night. The lights from ground below were bright enough to reach the roof, but only dimly. The true light was from the moon itself, whose light was bright enough to light up the features on T.K. and Kari's faces in a pale blue that complemented both of their facial features greatly. A sudden wind blew, causing both of the kids' hair to flow in small streams behind them. T.K. closed his eyes in the face of the wind, letting it cool his face. Kari watched him, not sure what he was going to do. He stopped leaning on the bricks and began to climb on top of them. He was being driven by some psychotic demented force to do this. The slippery surface from the rain was giving T.K. a hard time keeping his footing. Kari gasped. "T.K.! What are you doing? You're going to get yourself killed!" T.K. paid no heed to her warnings and stood up straight, looking down the four stories that were all the separated him from the ground.   
  
"Would you fall with me?" he asked suddenly. Kari looked up at him out of disbelief and confusion.  
  
"What?" she asked, her disbelief showing through in her voice. T.K. looked down at her worried face and saw how confused she was.   
  
"If I was to jump, would you fall with me?" he repeated. Suddenly, his mind started to scream at him. 'WHAT ARE YOU DOING? You may not want to fall, but you will if you aren't careful!', but he paid no attention.   
  
"I-I-I," was all that would come out of Kari's mouth. T.K. made his blue eyes meet Kari's brown ones.   
  
"Would you do anything for me? Would you let me carry you? Would you let me be with you? Would you bleed for me? Would you fall with me?" he asked, the questions pouring out of his mouth. Kari stared up at T.K., the confusion slowly disappearing.  
  
"I-I-I guess so. Why are you asking me this, T.K.? Did I say something?" Kari asked. T.K. looked out at the black horizon that was dotted with stars.  
  
"You guess? Why am I asking you? I want you to love me! That's all! But you can't even tell me that! You want us to be like Sora and Tai, but you have to love me first!! I love you with all my heart, but you can't even say you love me!!! Do you know how that feels, Kari? It feels like you stabbed me in the heart and are watching me while I bleed! That's what it feels like! YOU HAVE TO JUMP WITH ME! If you want to be like Tai and Sora, you have to jump with me! You've got to! " he yelled, finally turning his eyes back to meet hers. Kari took a step back. Her face showed how much she was hurt by his statement. T.K. saw the hurt he had caused her and turned his attention back to the sky. 'Why did I have to hurt her? Why?' T.K. thought, but knew that his thoughts weren't enough to take back what he had said. There was a long pause before Kari said anything. She was thinking about what he had said about his heart bleeding. Was the poem he had given her true? Something deep down told her yes, it was.  
  
"Is that what this is about? All because I said I wanted to be like Tai and Sora? T.K., if anybody loves you, its me. I always have," she said softly, her tears welling up in her eyes. She remembered what Sora had said about denying her feelings about Tai for so long. Kari couldn't let that happen to her and T.K. any longer. "And I always will." T.K. looked at Kari. It was his turn to stare at her in disbelief.   
  
"Y-y-you do?" he stammered. Kari smiled sadly.  
  
"T.K., I would bleed for you, let you carry me, be with you, fall with you, and do anything for you. I think you knew that, too," she added. T.K.'s eyes began to well up with tears, but they also showed his doubt.  
  
"You're just saying that because you don't want me to fall. I'm not stupid, Kari," he said, his natural stubborness showing through. He crossed his arms and stared out at the midnight black sky. Kari sighed. What else could she say? Then it hit her.  
  
"In the night, I can hear your voice, but I can't touch you, and my heart bleeds," she began to recite. T.K. raised his head suddenly. That sound so familiar. "In the day, I sit beside you, but I can't have you in my arms, and my heart bleeds." Now it was coming together for the thirteen year old. She was reciting the poem. "I kiss you when we are alone, but I ache when I can't have something more, and my heart bleeds." T.K. turned his head slightly to look at her, the indignation that had filled his soul and mind slowly melting away.  
  
"I dream of what life would be like with you, but it hurts when I realize that it may not come true, and my heart bleeds," T.K. began to recite. Kari smiled. He was coming back to her. Slowly but surely, he was coming back to her.  
  
"I wish upon a star that all of your dreams would come true, but it kills me to think that they might not, and my heart bleeds," Kari said softly. T.K. sighed deeply and closed his eyes.  
  
"Every time I don't see a smile upon your beautiful face, it hurts me so..." T.K. paused painfully. The poem had been true. It did hurt him to see her with no smile. He gathered a shaky breath and continued,"..so much, and my heart bleeds." Then, with the last line, Kari and T.K. began to recite the last stanza in unison.  
  
"I love you so much that it hurts inside. I love you so much my heart bleeds," they said together. T.K. found himself staring into Kari's caring eyes. He began to cry silently. Kari was crying, too.  
  
"And I'll never forget that you love me," she said shakily with a slight smile. T.K. smiled as best he could, but it wasn't very becoming. "Please come down, T.K. Please, you'll hurt yourself." T.K. nodded like the eight year old he used to be. The psychotic force that had driven him to climb up there in the first place left him quickly. The false bravery that had been his mind turned into hysterical fear.  
  
"Kari, I can't! I can't get down! I'm going to fall!" he cried. Kari tilted her head sideways. Why was he hysterical all of the sudden? Then she realized. Something had been blinding him. He couldn't tell what danger he was putting himself in. He had been blinded by his love for Kari and his obsession to get her to love him back. Kari felt the panic rising in her throat, but she refused to submit to it.   
  
"It's okay, T.K. Calm down, please calm down," she cooed. T.K. nodded, but he was terrified. He was having a hard enough time just standing up on the slippery surface beneath his feet. "Turn around slowly, T.K. I'm here," she said softly. T.K. shook his head furiously.  
  
"I-I-I can't, K-kari. I can't m-move," he stuttered. Kari felt the panic threatening to cloud her thoughts again, but she pushed it away. She couldn't panic. Not now.   
  
"Fall back! I'll catch you!" Kari exclaimed. T.K. shook his head again, the tears in his eyes becoming more and more apparent.  
  
"I can't, Kari! I'll h-h-hurt you!" he exclaimed back. Kari shook her head and held out both arms above her.  
  
"I can heal, T.K., but I can't bring you back from the dead," she shot back. T.K. tried to turn around. "That's it, T.K. Keep going. You're doing just fine," she said more softly. Suddenly, T.K.'s footing slipped on the edge. His feet slipped out from under him, causing him to land on his stomach on the bricks. "Oh my God, T.K.! Hold on!" Kari yelled. T.K. was struggling to keep his grip. It was slippery, and his hands were slipping just like his feet had. Kari made a hasty grab for his hands and held on tightly. "If you fall, I'll be coming after you, T.K.," she whispered softly. T.K. stopped focusing on the pain in his stomach from how hard he had hit the bricks to how much Kari was hurting. He looked into her eyes and smiled.  
  
"If I do go, I'll want you to stay here. I'll always be with you," he said, just as softly. Kari started crying again. T.K. squirmed at the sharp pain in his stomach, but he was only making it worse. "Don't cry, Kari. Please don't cry," he whispered. He wanted to touch her face and wipe away her tears, but such an act in his current condition would have only resulted in doom. T.K. and Kari gazed into each other's eyes, as if trying to find each other's soul. Kari leaned forward and met T.K.'s lips with her own. The cold air that surrounded them seemed to become warmer at their breif touch. They both wanted it to be more passionate, more a symbol of their love for each other, but it wasn't possible right then. Suddenly, T.K.'s grasp began to weaken in Kari's. His strength was giving out. Kari began to pull.  
  
"Come on, T.K.! Don't give up!!" she called to him, but she wasn't strong enough. T.K. weighed an easy 120 lbs, but that compared to Kari's 100 didn't balance out well. Kari wished she had the strength of her brother, but he was so much stronger than her. She was so weak compared to him. T.K. was beginning to slip again, but Kari kept pulling. There was a sudden yell from the ground. Kari couldn't understand it.   
  
"Kari! T.K.!" someone was yelling. Kari suddenly recognized the voice, along with T.K.  
  
"TAI!!!" she screamed.   
  
"We're coming!" another voice called. It was Sora.   
  
"Please help, Tai!" Kari called. Tai made a nod toward the building, telling Sora to go inside and go to the roof. Sora nodded and rushed inside. Tai turned his attention back to the top of the building.  
  
"Come on, Kari! T.K.! You've got to do this!" Tai shouted encouragingly, but he felt that they couldn't do it alone.  
  
"Come on, T.K.! Please! You've got to fight it!" Kari cried. T.K.'s face was becoming very pale. He looked like he might be losing conciousness from the combonation the cold and the fear and adrenaline in his body.  
  
"I can't... hold... on," he whispered. Suddenly, his grip on Kari's hands went limp. Kari tried to hold on, but his hands slowly but surely slipped out of hers.   
  
"T.K.!!!!!!!" Kari screamed.   
  
From then on, everything happened in slow motion.  
  
Kari reached out for T.K., but her fingers seemed to be just inches from his. The distance between them lengthened, however. T.K. seemed like he wanted it to be this way. He was looking up at Kari and smiling dreamily, but his face was pure white, not at all like the T.K. she had always known. His posture in the air changed from vertical to horizontal. He reached toward Kari, but she knew she couldn't reach him. In the slow motion of everyone's actions, there came a sound recognizable to only to Kari, Sora, and Tai's family. It was that of someone quickly opening an umbrella. Tai's shirt came off with a quick ripping sound. His wings were at full spread. It was the first time since that night a month ago that he had actually showed them. The world that belonged only to Tai and Sora on the inside of his wings showed the night with stars and a moon, similar to the one in Earth's sky. Tai and Sora hadn't been to their world since their first kiss, but the memory was all but gone in their minds.   
Tai's wings flapped as fast as a hummingbird's, even in the slow motion world that had suddenly taken over Kari's, T.K.'s, and Tai's minds. He pushed himself off the ground and held out his arms, as if he was a guardian angel coming to catch the child he had been sent to protect.   
T.K.'s eyes, those deep blue eyes, slowly closed as the unconciousness took over. It wasn't complete however; he could still hear voices, but he couldn't speak. He heard the sound of Kari screaming his name. Hikari was screaming his name. She was screaming out of pain and hurt; T.K. could hear it all coming together. Her prolonged scream in the slow motion world seemed to be like a song to T.K. Telling him that she would die, too, if he did. Telling him that she would fall with him. Telling him that she would bleed for him. Telling him that she was bleeding for him. Telling him she loved him, and she always would. It was a song to T.K. A sad song. Like a lullaby, lulling him to sleep before the certain doom blocked out his life on Earth forever. A sad lullaby telling him to dream of her. And he knew he would always dream of her.   
There was a sharp pain in T.K.'s back as two strong arms wrapped around his sides. He smiled weakly. Tai looked down at the comatose-like state that T.K. was in. T.K. moved slightly, his chest heaving in short, shallow breaths. Tai looked up and saw the relief on his sister's crying face and smiled. He looked back down at T.K. and smiled even wider.  
"You'll be alright, kid. You'll be alright," he whispered. A strong feeling washed over him. Was this what being a father felt like? It was an incredible feeling, but he wasn't sure if it was more father-like or heroic than anything else.  
The slow motion world ended, causing everything to return to its normal speed. Sora finally appeared on the roof. She saw Kari, who was sobbing uncontrollably. She rushed over and held her tightly.  
  
"Shhh. Shhh," Sora whispered, trying to calm the girl down. She started crying, too. By Kari's reaction, she thought T.K. had died. Kari hugged Sora back just as tightly. She had her head buried in Sora's shoulder, just as she would have done to her own mother. Sora suddenly heard the sound of... of... flapping. It was like a bird. She looked up through tear glazed eyes and saw Tai rising up above the building and landing on the roof gently with a very pale, very sick looking, but very alive T.K. Sora laughed through her tears, which turned into ones of joy. "Kari, look! He's alright! It'll be okay!" Sora exclaimed. Kari already knew this fact, but it had been too close. She had almost lost him. Sora and Tai knew that, too. Tai laid T.K. down on the cold roof and retracted his wings almost immediately. Kari got up from the ground and rushed to her fallen love. She looked from T.K.'s pale, ghostly face to Tai's solemn one questioningly.  
  
"He'll be fine. He just had a scare, that's all. It's kind of cold, though. I think we need to get him inside," Tai said, putting his face to the wind, making his hair blow behind him. Sora watched with a kind of awe. Is this who she was going to marry? An angel? She took him in with her eyes. His muscular chest heaved in and out slowly, his breath becoming smoke on the wind because of the rapid decrease in the temperature. He had save two lives in the past month. Sora knew he was more than a hero, much more than a champion. He was so much more, and he was hers. In turn, she was his. Sora smiled at the fact and got up from the cold ground. "He'll be okay, Kari," Tai was saying. He scooped the exhausted T.K. into his arms and began to walk toward the exit door. Kari watched T.K.'s chest heave in and out ever so slowly. It's like that was the only trace of life left in his weak body. Sora saw Kari's worry etched into her face.  
  
"Tai said he'll be alright. Trust your brother," she said. Kari glanced at Sora, but then began to gaze at T.K. Tai couldn't help but be curious.  
  
"What happened, Kari?" he asked. Kari abruptly shut her eyes to keep the tears from coming, but they flowed freely despite her attempt.  
  
"Yesterday afternoon when we were walking home from school, we saw you two kissing each other and even crying together. On accident, I said that I wished we were in love like that.... That's how all this started. He took it to heart, I guess," Kari sniffed. Sora's face looked like a lightbulb went off.  
  
"That's why he came over to my house today. He said he wanted to know everything that had happened after he left until Tai got home that night," she said softly. Tai looked at Sora strangely.  
  
"Why didn't you tell me that earlier than five minutes ago?" he asked sullenly. Sora bit her lip until it turned white.  
  
"Well, I didn't think anything of it. I mean, T.K. has always been the curious type, but he did act rather strange. Oh, I'm sorry, Tai. I really don't know why," she tried to explain unsuccessfully. Tai stared straight ahead.  
  
"It's okay, Sora. Let's just be glad you told when you did," he whispered softly. Something in his tone expressed his disappointment to Sora, and she bowed her head like a scolded child. Kari began walking toward the exit again, but she had a confused expression on her face. Tai looked at her quizzically. "What is it?"   
  
"Well, I was just wondering what really happened that night, too," she said, inwardly pouting for being left out. Sora glanced at Tai nervously.  
  
"I'll tell you later, Kari. Maybe for another day, okay?" Tai said. Kari nodded reluctantly. She didn't really want to push her brother.  
  
"Look! He's starting move!" Sora said, pointing toward T.K. Tai looked down at the smaller boy in his arms. T.K.'s head was beginning to roll slowly from side to side. He took a deep, deep breath and let it out slowly. He took another deep breath, but it was cut short from some kind of pain. He drew in a hissing breath, his face contorted painfully. His eyes were shut tightly, not likely to open for some time. Kari knit her brow.  
  
"What's wrong with him?" Sora asked. Tai was about to tell her he had no idea, but Kari cut him off with the swift movement of her hand. Both of the older teenagers looked at each other and shrugged, but soon turned their attention to the new spectacle. Kari motioned for Tai to put him down. Tai did so hesitantly, not sure what his sister was going to do. T.K.'s hands immediately flew to his stomach, where he had fell just moments before onto the brick. Kari put both hands on his and moved them away from the afflicted area. He moaned in protest, but reluctantly let her move his hands. She lifted up his shirt and saw a huge bruise and some bloody scrapes. Sora and Tai took a step back from the young boy like he had the plague, but Kari stayed with him. T.K.'s chest was rising and lowering laborously, his eyes still shut tightly. Kari put her hands right above his stomach and closed her eyes. Suddenly, the radiant light that was Kari's trademark power began to flow from her hands. T.K. struggled to move, but soon lay still. Sora and Tai watched as the quickly forming bruise and bloody scrapes disappeared into nothing but T.K.'s pale skin color, which was now returning to its healthier state. The light died down as quickly as it had come, and T.K. finally opened his eyes. He immediately looked for Kari and smiled.   
  
"Stay with me," he whispered. Kari smiled and shook her head.  
  
"I never planned on leaving," she whispered back. She leaned forward and met T.K.'s lips in a passionate kiss of fire. It was like falling in love a thousand times over, but getting better each time. The kiss actually healed T.K. more than Kari's gift of light had. Their heads swam dizzily. Both of them fought to keep it just kissing and not something that they wanted much, much more. Kari made the kiss deeper, allowing T.K. to explore her mouth. It was at all out of lust, however. It was just love. Pure and simple. "God, I love you, T.K.," Kari gasped when she broke the kiss. T.K. had made no attempt to sit up. Kari laid her head on his chest. He smiled.  
  
"I love you so much, my heart bleeds," he whispered, his words forming a cloud of steam into the cold night air. Kari looked at him and smiled. Sora and Tai looked at each other and smiled. Sora cuddled in closer to Tai chest, the secure feeling of being love flooding both her soul and his. Sora kissed Tai's neck lightly, making him shudder like he had so many times. He turned to her and pressed his bare masculine chest against hers. He kissed her forehead lightly, and she kissed his shoulder. Their lips met in a kiss that was more passionate because they had loved each other longer than T.K. and Kari, but they both knew that they two younger kids were well on their way. Finally, T.K., Kari, Sora, and Tai all went in to the apartment complex. They decided they would tell the rest of the young and old digidestined what happened, but for right now, they would just have to wait.   
  
Love always comes first.  
  
^~THE END~^  
  
  
Here is my attempt to do Logan's trademark thing again:  
  
Though love can be so strong, it can also have its weaknesses.  
We often let ourselves get carried away, thinking we are helping those we love, when we are in fact hurting them.   
But when the light shines down on us and we see the error in our ways, it's truly a great thing.   
The Blind Love becomes the Love that is unimpaired.   
It is Free Love, just like our mind, body, and spirit.   
We are free, and when we learn to love another, our hearts become free from the darkness.   
We are free from the Blind Love.  
  
  
A/N: So.... how was it? 24 PAGES!!! How to Fly 1-4 was about 35-40 pages, though. It's my first fic series (that wasn't meant to be a series but one whole story) since the How to Fly parts. Please review. Your reviews are the wood that keep my flame of motivation burning. I had hoped it would turn out better, but it's better than it could have turned out, that's for sure. I'm going to be working on another Taiora next. It's going to be set around Christmas, but I'm not sure that I can get it out at that time. It might be January before you guys get it. SORRY!!! From what I've been thinking about it, it'll be pretty darn good. It will be a continuation of How to Fly and Blind Love, so it's like one big ol' series. After this next Taiora, I may write another continuation, but then I'll start something new, I think. Well, yet again, please review. Any questions or comments? Email me at dragonsouldreamer767@hotmail.com THANKS FOR READING!!!!  
  
Artisan of the Written Word a.k.a. The Writer 


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